There's been some infighting in the Trump administration that's been playing out on X. Elon Musk and senior trade adviser Peter Navarro are arguing about tariffs, and Navarro is claiming that Musk isn't a car manufacturer but a car assembler, using parts imported from other nations like Japan and China.
The infighting began last week, when, in a now-deleted post, Musk took on Navarro:
Hahahaha. Hang it in the Louvre. pic.twitter.com/OeQ9QBrXqL
— Bojac (@HeartlessBojac) April 5, 2025
The latest split was inspired by an interview that Navarro gave to CNBC on Monday:
PETER NAVARRO ON ELON MUSK:
— Ron Pragides (@mrp) April 8, 2025
“We all understand in the White House (and the American people understand) that Elon's a car manufacturer. But he's not a car manufacturer — He's a car assembler.
In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets… pic.twitter.com/mkp1wRGcvX
"… (which in the EV case are the batteries) come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan...
What we want — and the difference is in our thinking and Elon's on this — is that we want the tires made in Akron. We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here.”
That post had a Community Note appended:
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
According to cars.com's ranking, the most American-made car is the Tesla Model Y.
Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 8, 2025
Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks. @IfindRetards @RealPNavarro https://t.co/gECgtZt5Sc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 8, 2025
Recommended
By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 8, 2025
Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara.
Ah yes, the famous Ron Vara, a good friend of Pierre Delecto.
Our tariff policy is based on a fictional expert “Ron Vara” created by Peter Navarro pic.twitter.com/2h9CLY5P1y
— Ron Pragides (@mrp) April 8, 2025
Just the fact that Navarro thinks that Tesla's have engines says it all. Wow. And this guy is in charge of trade? https://t.co/guSU45gVSy
— 𝙺𝚒𝚖𝚋𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚔 🤠 (@kimbal) April 8, 2025
I’d like to apologize to bricks for calling Peter Retarrdo dumber than a sack of bricks. That was so unfair to bricks.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 8, 2025
Pete needs to take the L and sit this one out
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) April 8, 2025
Peter Navarro needs to be fired. Right now.
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) April 8, 2025
I'll be purchasing a CyberTruck this year.
— Lowkey Rey 2.0 (@AtlRey) April 8, 2025
I pick my American made Tesla S-Plaid this evening! LFG!
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) April 8, 2025
Offer Mr. Navarro a tour of a Cybertruck, Optimus or a Tesla manufacturing plant so he can see for himself that it's more than a simple assembly line.
— Martha Johnson (@MarthaJohn1679) April 8, 2025
Speaking of touring manufacturing plants, Navarro brought up BMW's factory in South Carolina. Here's a lengthy post:
Peter Navarro said something quite revealing on CNBC today about BMW's factory in South Carolina: "That doesn't work for America. It's bad for our economics, it's bad for our national security."
— John W Lettieri (@LettieriDC) April 7, 2025
This piqued my interest. I grew up very close to that BMW facility -- the company's… pic.twitter.com/bDrjSzI3TV
… largest in the world -- and I watched it transform my state and region with more than $13 billion invested in since 1992, 11,000 jobs onsite at an 8 million square foot campus, $10+ billion in exports in 2023 alone, etc. One study put the annual economic impact of the plant at $27 billion. In a small state, these are absolutely game-changing numbers.
For all these reasons, BMW's investment has been hailed as a turning point in the state's economic history. Earlier this year, for example, Gov. Henry McMaster said this: "BMW's arrival in South Carolina over 30 years ago transformed our economy and global reputation." He's right. The investment was instrumental in helping the state transition from a textile-dependent economy for most of the 20th century to one with a vibrant advanced manufacturing industry today.
In light of all this, how in the world does Navarro conclude that BMW's investment "doesn't work for America"? I mean, even trade restrictionists have long praised this kind of inbound foreign direct investment in U.S. auto manufacturing. Not Navarro. He's setting a new bar: whatever benefits BMW has delivered are more than canceled out by the fact that it sources parts from a global supply chain. And this is the vision behind the new tariff agenda.
Everything makes sense once you realize that Navarro is the Jim Cramer of trade.
— Terminus Est (@TerminusEst24) April 7, 2025
A reported brought up Musk's remarks at Tuesday's press briefing with Karoline Leavitt:
REPORTER: "Musk actually referred to Navarro today as, 'dumber than a sack of bricks.'"
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 8, 2025
KAROLINE LEAVITT: "Boys will be boys & we will let their public sparring continue."
As it should!
pic.twitter.com/K1pAuiioOy
This feud is nowhere near over. Get your popcorn.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member